Saudi are unlikely to realise lofty ambitions

Saudi Arabia midfielder Yahya Al Shehri

Carlos Rodrigues

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By Mark Langdon
5:14PM, DEC 1 2017

Manager Juan Antonio Pizzi

It's third-time lucky for Saudi Arabia in their bid to settle on a manager to take them to the World Cup finals. Bert van Marwijk departed having steered them to the finals and his replacement Edgardo Bauza was sacked following a "comprehensive technical evaluation" of five friendly performances.

Juan Antonio Pizzi, fresh from failing to qualify with Chile, will guide the only Asian side to have notched in all ten of their final qualifying fixtures. The Saudi Football Federation issued a statement after Bauza's dismissal saying their expectations were high and reports suggest Vicente Del Bosque turned down the role.

Those lofty ambitions are unrealistic and Saudi Arabia's World Cup campaign is set to be a three-and-out visit to Russia with any moments of quality likely to come from Fahad Al-Muwallad or Nawaf Al-Abed.